a—i.

survey of Hawera Town during the coming winter ; this will also be undertaken by Mr. Skeet. Mr. Bullard has a block of some 26,000 acres of sectional survey in hand, and has some seven miles of roadwork finished in field, and plans well in hand. Mr. Frith has the plans of twenty-five miles of road to complete, the field-work of which is finished, besides some twenty-five miles of road to grade and traverse in the Whakaihuwaka and Kaitangiwhenua Blocks. Mr. Morpeth has to make a theodolite survey of the Uruti Improved-farm Settlement, as the original survey was magnetic. He has a couple of small townships to lay off, and has also to cut lines and back-peg a number of sections in the old Mangaehu and Llewellyn Special Settlements, which have been taken up by selectors or are now ready for disposal. This work had not previously been done, as it was anticipated the settlements would never be taken up by the original applicants, nor in the same areas ; however, the sections have now been grouped, and many disposed of. Messrs. Watson, Murcott, Sladden, Laing, and Oldfield have sectional blocks ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 acres each to complete, and all have their work well in hand. Office-work. —The Land Transfer, Valuation, and other incidental office-work still shows a tendency to increase. All the Crown-grant record-maps have been brought up to date, and a longfelt want is supplied. The sudden death of the late Chief Draughtsman, Mr. F. E. Clarke, was a considerable drawback to the department; but this has now .happily been got over by the appointment of Mr. Pollen. Another officer whose death occurred during the year, after a long illness, was our Computer, Mr. C. B. Douglas, and the department was in consequence without the services of a Computer the greater part of the year, as his successor, Mr. Follett Carrington, did not arrive until the beginning of January last. Both the deceased officers were old and valued servants. John Steauchon, Chief Surveyor.

WELLINGTON. Topographical Survey.—The operations under this head comprised the field, the trigonometrical, and ordinary survey, observations and sketches in the field, and the preparation of plans representing the natural and artificial features of the southern part of the Hutt County. This work Mr. J. D. Climie and his assistants executed with his usual thoroughness and energy. Mr. District Surveyor Lowe's contribution of 100,000 acres covers portion of the Mangamaire and Kaimanawa districts. Messrs. T. M. Grant and P. E. Earle carried out elaborate surveys 011 the shores of the Wairarapa and Onoke Lakes, to determine the limits of the alienated areas and the character and extent of the dry land, swamps, and mud flats remaining to the Crown. As its periphery was defined, the whole lake-area has been included. Trigonometrical Survey.—Mr. District Surveyor Lowe is the only officer who completed any surveys of this class. The 200,000 acres returned embraces the Pihanga, Tokaanu, and other districts. Changes in the staff and pressure of other work have compelled the postponement of calculations and investigations which are necessary to bring out the comparison of the trigonometrical and geodetic elements as compared with the triangulations of the surrounding districts. jßural and Suburban.—The reduced out-turn in this class of survey is due in part to the dearth of Crown lands suitable for settlement, and the tax upon the staff surveyor's time in executing topographical and subdivisional surveys of land-for-settlement estates, and also to the number of long-deferred and scattered miscellaneous detail surveys, which, though tedious and costly, were necessary to redeem promises, and expedite the issue of delayed leases and titles. Though the area is 5,302 acres less than last year, there are thirty-four lots more, with a necessarily slight increase in cost. Town.—The 139 acres defined represent the Mangaweka Extension and repegging of Tokaanu Native Township. Native Land Court.—The returns of the staff show a considerable falling-off. The principal blocks surveyed are the Raketapauma, Eangiwaea, and part of Awarua, which were undertaken to define Crown purchases which were intermixed with ordinary Court orders, the former being generally simultaneously subdivided for settlement under the Land Act. During the operations advantage was taken, as usual, to lay off, survey, and legalise the future main roads on a general and comprehensive scheme suitable to the whole district and future requirements of anticipated settlement. Although the surveys of only 46,001 acres have been included in the returns, the office dealt with eighty-six plans, representing an area of 591,915 acres, including areas surveyed by licensed surveyors and those represented by plans compiled in the office, to serve as records for the Native Land Court titles. Roads and Railway.—The output is made up of roads referred to in the last paragraph and of those in public use which were defined in order that they might be laid down upon the official maps and formally dedicated to the public. Other Work. —Many duties were undertaken and services rendered by the field and office staffs which fall under this designation. Amongst them may be mentioned surveys of reserves, small selections, subdivisions, additional roads and deviations, inspections, returns, valuations, estimates, and reports for various purposes. Inspection of Surveys.—Mr. Inspector Climie was engaged most of the year upon urgent special surveys and duties, and it was only in the latter part of the season that he was enabled to actively resume technical inspections. Sixteen separate surveys, mostly for Land Transfer purposes, were checked, and, with three exceptions, the quality of the work is reported as a great improvement on that of a few years ago, the result of greater care in angular observations, and the use of long steel measuring-bands. The Inspector found that several of the surveys were inadequately connected to the triangulations. As the staff surveyors have not been available for systematic standard surveys

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